Harper blinked, about to speak, but Joseph pushed her back into the fitting room.
She stumbled, and he steadied her, then locked the door.
"What are you doing?"
In the narrow space, their breaths mingled, and Harper could hear Joseph's strong heartbeat.
Joseph remained silent, his gaze making her uneasy.
Her bare collarbone and rounded shoulders looked gentle in the warm light.
Harper felt inexplicably embarrassed, her eyes avoiding the imposing man.
"What are you doing here?"
Joseph looks at her with downcast eyes, in an even worse mood.
Was she blaming him for being here?
He retorted, "And you? Is your work going out with men?"
Harper was taken aback, instinctively wanting to explain.
But what was there to explain?
Joseph was here too, wasn't he? Wasn't he also shopping?
Probably with Olivia.
So, what right did he have to question her?
"It's none of your business," Harper said, avoiding his gaze.
"None of my business?" Joseph sneered, his hand gripping her slender waist, pushing her against the wall.
He leaned in, his gaze intense. "You're my wife, and you say it's none of my business?"
Harper gathered her courage to meet his eyes, trying to read something other than anger.
Joseph's hand was still on her waist, the warm touch through her thin clothes.
Harper's heart raced uncontrollably.
However, she couldn't see any emotion in Joseph's eyes.
He just felt that as his wife, she shouldn't be alone with other men.
Harper looked at him and asked, "Then, are you willing to let Olivia know that I'm your wife?"
Joseph frowned, falling silent.
Harper didn't say anything more, and they remained in this intimate position, lost in their thoughts.
She heard Joseph's voice from above. "Do you care?"
How could she not care?
How could anyone accept that their partner had feelings for someone else?
No, Joseph was never really her partner.
Harper sighed, pretending to be casual. "What do I have to care about? It's none of my business."
She tried to push Joseph away, but he stood his ground, his intentions unclear.
Harper said, "Joseph, can you move? My friend is waiting outside, and he might get suspicious."
She paused and added, "We're getting divorced soon, so let's not make any mistakes before that. It's better for both of us."
Better for both of us?
Joseph clenched his teeth, looking more angry than before.
Why did Harper keep bringing up the divorce?
No matter what they were talking about, she always ended the conversation with that sentence.
She just wanted a divorce.
Harper didn't know what he was thinking, but she felt his hand on her waist tighten.
She was pinched so hard that she couldn't help but duck back.
Joseph suddenly realized and loosened his grip.
Harper looked thin, but her waist was soft.
She frowned softly, her lipsticked lips a healthy shade of scarlet, unconsciously exuding fatal attraction.
Joseph's Adam's apple bobbed, his hoarse voice magnetic. "Harper, as long as you're not divorced, you're still my wife, and you can't be with other men."
With that, he kissed Harper without hesitation.
Harper was stunned for a moment, then pushed him away with force.
But he held her by the back of her neck and deepened the kiss.
Joseph's hand pressed against Harper's waist, and the softness of her lips made him unable to stop.
Harper felt that Joseph must be crazy. His kiss caught her off guard and became increasingly uncontrollable.
She felt a moment of confusion, but quickly reacted and began to resist fiercely.
What did such a kiss mean?
She didn't want it.
Harper couldn't push him away, so she bit Joseph directly.
Joseph was caught off guard and winced in pain.
Patrick, who had just come back, heard the commotion and knocked on the door. "Harper, are you okay? Is everything alright?"
Harper quickly covered the man's mouth and took a deep breath before replying, "I'm fine. I'll be out in a moment."
"Alright, I'll be waiting over there."
Harper didn't let go until the footsteps outside disappeared completely.
The man's tongue touched his palate, and he looked at her with a sullen face. "Don't you think you should say something?"
"What? I'm leaving!"
It was he who had forced the kiss, and her bite was at most an act of self-defense.
Harper pushed Joseph away, and without hesitation, she opened the door and ran out, ignoring the man's long face behind her.
Patrick sat on the sofa in the lounge area and quickly got up when he saw Harper coming out, a hint of amazement in his eyes. "This dress suits you."
"Really?"
Harper didn't have the mood to care about that now.
"Why is your face so red?"
Patrick frowned and was about to check her forehead.
Harper quickly dodged to the side. "It's nothing, probably just a bit stuffy in the changing room."
She said this with a guilty conscience, changing the subject. "I think we're done for today. let's go back."
"Leave now? Alright then."
"Okay. I'll go change back."
Harper walked back to the fitting room, and the man inside was nowhere to be seen.
Harper breathed a sigh of relief, changed into her clothes, and still felt puzzled.
What was Joseph so angry about?
They hadn't divorced yet, and he and Olivia were also in a vague relationship.
They worked together every day, coming and going together.
He had just kissed Olivia yesterday, and today he came to kiss her.
Harper pursed her lips, thinking that Joseph was too concerned about his reputation.
He just felt that she had disgraced him by going out with other men.
What else could it be?
It couldn't be because of possessiveness, could it?
Harper shook her head.
Joseph didn't love her, so where would his possessiveness come from?